Episode 22 Ride the savage land
by KayDee35
Summary: TV episode with added scenes


Ride the savage land

Buck and Manolito had finished their shift at the outskirts of the High Chaparral and were riding back to the ranch for dinner. Buck was staring thoughtfully at the ground, daydreaming, when Mano suddenly stopped. "Hey, mira! Quien es?" he asked his brother-in-law, pointing ahead. In this direction, the High Chaparral bordered after a few miles on Apache country.

Buck looked up. Two children were running over the grassy plains as fast as their legs would carry them. The younger girl stumbled and fell down, gasping for breath. The older one jerked her up. "Come on! We have to get away," she cried, panting as well. But after a few more steps, she relented. The girls stopped to catch their breath, constantly looking back over their shoulders. In the distance three Apache warriors appeared. The children discovered the riders, and the younger one let out a piercing scream. Buck and Manolito spurred their horses onwards. The girls started running again, but could not shake off their pursuers.

Buck rode full tilt towards the Apache who had chased down the older girl. The warrior was about to pull the child up onto his horse. Buck stood up in his saddle. He hurled himself onto the Apache. Girl, warrior, horse, and white man went down in a heap. Manolito had reined in his own horse to guard his friend's back. He shot the second warrior who had aimed his gun at Buck. The third Apache meanwhile had free reign. He grabbed the younger girl and raced away with her. Buck left the older child standing where she was, galloping with Mano after the younger one. A few miles into Apache country they stopped abruptly. The warrior had fled into a camp. He had called reinforcements and was now returning with six or seven men.

"They are too many, compadre," Manolito warned.

"You 're right," Buck agreed and wheeled his horse around. "We better keep the one we got."

They galloped back. The older girl was standing where they had left her, still panting. "My sister, where is my sister?" she cried when she saw that Buck and Mano returned empty-handed.

"There are too many Apaches," Buck said hastily and motioned for her to mount behind him.

Ann did not move from the spot. "Oh, please, please, go get her," she called out desperately.

"Yes, we will have to go back with help, then we will go get her," Buck answered, trying to soothe the girl.

Ann shook her head. "No, you won't. You're just saying that."

"Yes, we will. I promise. I swear it. Now, come on," urged Buck.

"There is no time to waste," Mano emphasized.

Ann mounted at last. Buck and Manolito raced away, the Apache warriors now hot on their heels. The bullets careend around them. Buck breathed a sigh of relief when the High Chaparral finally came into view.

Reno, doing guard duty on the roof, shot once in the air. "Apaches," he yelled.

Everybody who happened to be in the vicinity ran to the gate to provide covering fire. Buck and Mano rode in, slowing down only when they were well within the courtyard. They came to a stop in front of the ranch house. John lifted the child from Rebel and put her in the hammock on the porch.

"I promised the girl, John. We found two of them, but the Apache got the other one. Is she alright? Has she been hit?" Buck asked in one breath.

"I don't know yet. We'll see," his brother replied calmly.

"Apaches are gone, Mr. Cannon," Joe called out to him from the gate.

Big John looked over his shoulder. "You keep a sharp look-out because I can tell they will be back," he warned.

Victoria, who had remained in the house during the shooting, came out to see what the commotion was all about. She leaned over the girl to examine her. "She is all right. She's just exhausted," she announced finally.

Now that the excitement was over, Big John had the time and leisure to peer at the child more closely. "You know, she is a white girl," he said to his brother in surprise.

Buck was leaning against the post of the front porch to which one end of the hammock was tied. "She sure is, John," he said dryly. The child was wearing the leather clothing of the Apaches and was as tanned as any member of the tribe, but in his opinion at least the light brown hair and European features could not be overlooked.

"Where did you find them?" the rancher wanted to know.

"The Sanchez Flats," Mano put in.

"Her and a littler one was runnin' away from three Apache," Buck explained. "We got ourselves in, and we got this one."

"What happened to the other one, Buck?" Blue put in. He had joined the party on the veranda when he had no longer been needed to defend the gate and had planted himself at the other end of the hammock.

"The Indians that got her joined up with more Apaches," his uncle said grimly.

"She's been living with the Apache," Big John stated.

Vaquero glanced at the child. "Sí, senor. Natahay," he said when he saw the painting on the girl's face.

"What?" Blue asked. He had never heard that word, and he was not sure he had understood correctly.

"Whites captured as children and raised with the Apache," Vaquero explained.

Blue frowned in confusion. "Raised with them?"

Vaquero nodded seriously. "As slaves," he clarified.

Victoria looked up. "Are you men just gonna stand here?" she asked in bewilderment. "Take her inside where I can tend to her."

Big John scooped the girl into his arms and carried her into the house. Vaquero and Victoria rushed after him.

Buck, who had not moved from his post, worriedly looked at his brother-in-law. "Mano, we only got our job half done," he began.

"But very well done with that one girl, still alive," Manolito brushed him off.

Buck lowered his head and let it be.

Manolito repaired the buckboard. Big John had asked him to because he needed it for his shopping trips to Tucson. Buck strolled over to his brother-in-law, leaning on the side planks, staring off into space.

"Buck." Mano intented to ask his friend to lend a hand. When he got no answer, he looked up and finally stood. "Compadre? Hey, qué pasa? You daydreaming?" he enquired sympathetically.

"Yeah, Mano," Buck replied with a heavy sigh. "But it's all bad."

Annoyed, Manolito looked away. He noticed a movement at the house. Victoria was leading Ann onto the veranda.

"It is so pleasant out here in the morning," Mano heard his sister say. "You sit here and rest. You'll be much better soon. And if there is anything you want, you just call me." Victoria put a blanket over Ann's legs and tenderly stroked the girl's cheek.

Ann looked gratefully up at her. "Thanks," she said shyly.

Victoria smiled and quickly patted her protégé's hand before she went back into the house.

"There is la muchacha," Mano said to his friend, nudging him with his elbow.

Buck absently turned his head towards him. "Hm?"

"The girl." Manolito nodded impatiently in the direction of the house.

Buck went to her. "Hi, Ma'am. I'm Buck," he introduced himself.

Ann smiled up at him. "Mrs. Cannon told me all about you," she said animatedly.

"She did, huh?" Buck asked, amused.

The girl lowered her eyes. "What I don't know is how to thank you," she admitted quietly.

"Ma'am, out here, when you run into Apache and see a fire, you can't stand down and watch it burn," Buck told her in a serious tone. He looked more closely at Ann, noticing the bruises on her throat. "Would you excuse me, Ma'am?" He bent down and pushed her hair aside. Ann flinched.

"Do they ache?" Buck asked her.

The girl shook her head.

"Do you mind telling me how you got yourself in such a fix?" Buck enquired further.

"Mother and father got killed five years ago by the Mescaleros. They took Olive and me with them. About two years ago, they sold us to the Dragoon Apaches," Ann said quietly.

"How did you finally get away?"

Ann stared straight ahead as she related the events. "They sent us out to search for roots. These medicine men had come to the mountains, and they weren't watching us as closely as they usually do. We ran. We ran, we ran. But Olive isn't very strong. She couldn't run fast."

Buck nodded sadly. "Olive. That would be the littler one we didn't get?"

"You've forgotten?" the girl exclaimed.

"Forgotten what?" Buck asked calmly.

"You promised to help her," Ann cried in distress.

Big John had heard the voices. He came to the house and leaned against the side wall of the porch.

"Well, it's kinda hard, Miss," he heard his brother explain. "See, I don't know how to get on with it yet."

"They went to the Teeshan Mountains," Ann said eagerly.

"Teeshan Mountains?" Buck asked, fishing for information.

"They have her there," the girl replied. When Buck still did not react, Ann's face clouded over. "You must be afraid," she said.

"Don't you worry. I'll think of something," Buck reassured her with a smile. "You just start feeling good here." Seeing his brother, he broke off. "Excuse me, Ma'am." He threw John a quick glance and walked towards the corral. His brother followed him.

"Buck," John called when they were a few yards from the house.

Buck stopped and turned around. "Yeah, Big John."

The rancher put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I know what's on your mind," he said quietly.

"I know you know," Buck said, sounding a bit put-upon. "But John, I just can't let the Apaches keep that little girl."

"No," the rancher said resolutely.

"John, I promised."

Big John shook his head. "Buck, I said no."

"John, please, let me take Manolito there, and Sam, and a couple of others-," his brother tried again.

Big John put his foot down. "No!"

"John, you don't understand. John, you got to stop doing this," his brother exclaimed. "I mean, there comes a time when you got to stop counting the odds."

"Buck, you know better than that," countered Big John. "Besides, there will be some troopers coming here tomorrow to set up communications between Tucson and Calabasas. Finding that girl is their job."

"Yes," Buck nodded. He looked towards Ann for a moment. "And if they won't?" he asked quietly.

"We will have to go on being sensible."

"Alright, John. You go on being sensible," Buck said in frustration, rubbing his head. "Something I gotta do I get this sense in my head. And I can't get that little face out of my mind."

Big John opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it and simply walked away. Buck stared for a moment at the ground, then looked at his brother-in-law. Mano's expression clearly indicated that he wished not to be drawn into the affair. He walked away as well. Buck stared after his friend for a second before he turned to Ann. The girl looked at him relentlessly. Buck nodded gravely to her. He knew that the Apaches would guard their recaptured slave well. And the marks on Ann's throat proved that they did not solely rely on their eyes to do the job.

The next morning around nine o'clock the soldiers arrived at the High Chaparral. John and Victoria asked the Colonel into the house to offer him some refreshment.

Everyone who was not on the pasture to herd the cattle had settled in an unobtrusive spot to see what would happen. The moment the Colonel left the house, Vaquero for example had gone outside to fetch water. He stopped beside the front porch so that he would not to be in the soldiers' way. The army squad had mounted and lined up in the courtyard, ready to leave the ranch. Vaquero spotted Buck who was leaning against his usual place on the veranda post. Manolito was sitting on the bench next to the front door. John and Victoria left the house together with the Colonel to see him off.

"And all those medicine men coming to the area. I am not concerned or worried about Apache mumbo-jumbo," Vaquero heard the officer say. "Sergeant."

The sergeant brought the colonel's horse and stood to attention. "Sir!"

"You rifle," ordered the officer.

The sergeant handed his gun over to Big John. The rancher took it and tested it.

"The very latest," boasted the colonel. "Rapid fire. I can wipe out the Apache nation inside of a week with these."

Victoria looked horrified at the gun.

"If I were you, Colonel, I would not underestimate the Apache," Big John said, returning the weapon to the sergeant, barrel first.

The colonel smiled condescendingly. "Apaches never gonna get their hands on one of these, I can assure you about that."

Mano grinned to himself, shaking his head.

The officer turned to leave.

"What about the girl's sister?" Victoria asked quickly. "The little one, held by the Apache as a slave," she clarified.

The colonel paused and tipped his hat. "I'm very sorry, Mrs. Cannon, but my orders are very clear. The signal corps unit moves on to Calabasas. I ride on to my new command."

"You mean, Mr. Gold Shoulders, that you intend to forget about that little girl," Buck told him coolly.

The colonel threw Buck an icy glance over his shoulder. "Oh, thank you, Mr., to address me as Colonel Bittle."

"You own those gold shoulders, and you will answer me," Buck insisted, his voice as frosty as the Siberian winter.

The officer finally deigned to turn and face him, taking a deep breath. "I do not intent to forget about the girl. After my headquarters are established, I'll go after her. Meanwhile, I'll make out a full report."

Buck's face reddened. "For your information, Colonel," he spat out the rank as others spit out bitter almonds. "It's worse now. While you are making that report, they're gonna kill that little girl." He turned on his heels and walked away.

After a few seconds of embarrassed silence on all sides, the colonel decided to forget the scene. He turned to the rancher couple, tipping his hat once more. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Cannon."

"Colonel." Big John shook the man 's hand in parting.

The officer got on his horse. "Sergeant, ride by two."

The sergeant relayed the order to the troops. "Ride by two. Ho! Forward. Ho!"

Buck was sitting on the the brim of the well. He watched the soldiers go, a mix of disbelief and resignation on his face. Turning back to the house, his eyes fell on Ann. The girl stood at his pillar, reminding him of his promise with an iron look.

Half an hour later, Buck went to his saddled horse. He stowed the supplies Victoria had given him and was about to mount. Big John had followed him from the house. He made a last-ditch effort to stop his brother. "You know, Buck, you run a fool's errand," he said sternly.

Buck noncommittally shrugged his shoulders. "Man's got a right to be a fool, if he feels obliged," he said, tightening the straps of his hat.

"Yeah," John replied sullenly. "I bet you a month's wages you don't get one single man in Tucson to ride with you."

Buck took the reins. "How can you be so sure about that? I got friends you don't even know about."

"You ask them to ride with you, they won't be your friends long," his brother replied, looking up at him seriously.

Buck bit back his answer. "See you," he said instead and galloped through the gate.

Leaning on the hitching rack, Big John worriedly watched him leave. As he turned back towards the house, he noticed his brother-in-law. Manolito stood in the middle of the courtyard, staring after his friend, his face a mask of utter dismay. John went to the man and put a hand on his shoulder. "Did you think Buck would desist if you refused to go with him?" he asked softly.

Manolito nodded dejectedly and looked down.

John smiled slightly. "Buck never takes the easy way out. You should know this by now. If he wants to have his way, he doesn't care who's on his side."

Manolito looked up. "You mean if I don't help him in this case, he won't consider me his friend any more?" he asked quietly.

The rancher shook his head. "No, otherwise Buck would have left me years ago. He will accept your opinion, but he won't ask again for your help in a similar situation."

"If he gets himself killed now, he won't even get the chance to ask," Mano reflected.

"He won't find anyone in Tucson who would be willing to join him, I'm telling you. And without help he won't get far. Even Buck will have to admit defeat, then," Big John said confidently.

Mano nodded doubtfully. "I'll take his shift," he said and went to get his gear. In his room he realized how he could save the day.

Manolito galloped after his friend, whistling to announce his arrival. Buck half turned in his saddle and reined in his horse a little.

"Buck! It is a good thing you ride slow, or I would not have caught you," Mano said wryly.

"I'm riding slow now because I got a long way to go," Buck replied in the same tone.

"I agree with your brother. It is foolish to go this way," Mano went on.

Buck shrugged. "We'll see how foolish when I get to Tucson."

"You see, there is another way of going to get her than riding in with an army or alone."

Buck stopped his horse. "There is?" he asked skeptically.

Mano smiled slightly. "For the Apache, she is only a slave. No es verdad?"

Buck inclined his head. "That's what Ms. Ann, her sister, said," he replied guardedly.

"And the Apache always needs money to buy guns and bullets, this is also true?" Mano wanted to know.

His friend nodded affirmatively.

"Why is it not possible or likely they would sell her? Without fighting, without bloodshed. Sell her to a couple of men fools enough to go to them with money." Mano's grin grew wider with every word.

A smile crept over his friend's face. "Fools like you? Like me?" Buck asked wantonly.

Manolito nodded. "Sí, hombre."

Buck began to laugh. A moment later his face fell. "Well, Mano. Where would I get money? I mean, John gives me eight dollars a month if he can pay me. I think I got a dollar in my pocket, that's all." He rummaged in his pockets and brought forth the coin.

Mano held up his hand. Reaching for the inside pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a bag and handed it to his friend. "Buck, money I have saved from my father for - how do you say? - a rainy day," he smiled. "And when you decide to get yourself killed, well, for me, that is a rainy day."

Buck weighed the bag in his hand, laughing, then became serious again. "But Mano, that's awful chancy. It was my idea. Let me go alone."

"With my money?" Manolito said in outrage. "Never, compadre. Worst of all, you would have to be trusted. I only go along with you to protect my interests." He tucked the money back into his pocket.

Buck lowered his head. A moment later he looked up with a grin and put his hand on his friend's arm. "Mano, idiota," he laughed.

Manolito laughed as well, glad that Buck had taken his joke as such.

An Apache scouting party had watched the scene and followed them unnoticed.

Eventually Big John had realized that Mano must have followed Buck. The rancher had sent Sam to Tucson to hold the two up. Late in the afternoon the foreman came galloping back to the ranch. John had made himself comfortable on the porch with Ann and Victoria. He stood up from his chair and went to meet the man.

"I couldn't find anybody in Tucson who saw them, Mr. Cannon," Sam reported in distress.

"That means they have gone ahead alone," Big John concluded.

"Yes, it looks like," nodded his foreman.

"It's my fault, Mr. Cannon," Ann said miserably. "I made him promise to go after Olive, and I kept him to it."

Victoria patted her protégé's hand reassuringly and stood. "What will you do, my husband?" she asked uneasily.

"We will have to go after them, Victoria." The rancher turned to Sam. "You tell Reno and Pedro and Joe to saddle up, and some of the others. We will leave in fifteen minutes."

Sam nodded. "Yes, sir." With long strides he hurried to the bunkhouse.

Big John went into the house to get ready himself. Victoria sat back down beside Ann and told her that Buck did only what his conscience dictated him and that he refused to let himself be influenced by anyone - be it Ann, or his brother, or even his best friend. The girl nodded hesitantly. Victoria brought her a glass of lemonade and began to tell her fairy-tales. Ann was thrilled. The last one who had told her such beautiful stories had been her mother, and that was way too long ago.

Mano and Buck rested in the afternoon sun. Manolito, his head pillowed on his saddle, lay there with his eyes almost completely closed and stared absently at the sky. Buck lay beside him on the belly, leaning with his forearms on his saddle. He looked at the mountains in the background, thoughtfully chewing on a blade of grass. He had asked Mano during the ride where he had learned the Apache language. His brother-in-law had told him that he had ridden with a few bandits who spoke the language and also knew about the Apache culture. Mano had noticed that Buck was interested and had gone into a bit more detail.

"Mano, You know so much about the Apache that I think sometimes that you're a half," Buck told his friend and decided to ask the question directly. "Mano, do you have Apache blood?"

"It would be no disgrace," Manolito said quietly, his eyes never leaving the sky.

"No, no disgrace," Buck agreed. "I admire them. You know, up north the White Mountain Apache and the other Apache. Why do they always live in the mountains, Mano?"

"You know, all he has are the mountains. Without his mountains, an Apache has nothing," Manolito explained.

The scouting party crept up on them, surrounding them.

Buck looked at the landscape. The mountains were literally overgrown with chaparral. On the hill behind them loomed a Saguaro cactus. The spring air was pleasantly warm. He twisted around to lie on his back, resting his head on his saddle. The sky was a cloudless pure blue. "See that sky? Makes you think," Buck said dreamily.

Manolito put one arm behind his head and smiled. "Sí. It makes me think, too."

"About what, Mano?" Buck demanded.

"It makes me think about Magdalena."

"Is she pretty?"

Mano grinned. "Magdalena is a little town. And we have company, compadre," he said in the same low, even tone.

"I know, amigo," Buck replied. He barely moved his lips as he continued sleepily, "Listen, you count to three very carefully, and we vamonos, eh?"

Mano stretched his arms. He put an inconspicuous hand on his revolver that was in his gunbelt beside his saddle. "Uno, dos, tres," he mouthed.

They jumped up. The Apaches attacked. The first one came at Manolito with a tomahawk. Mano shot him in the chest, and the man collapsed. The next instant a second warrior targeted Manolito. The man had enough momentum to hit Mano's hand with his thigh, sending the revolver flying. Then he attacked Manolito with his knife. They wrestled. Mano managed to gain the advantage. He turned sideways and let the man fall on his own knife. He took up his revolver again, waiting for the next opponent to surface. Buck noticed a movement in the bushes in front of them. He shot a third man.

They remained motionless and looked around warily. Everything stayed quiet.

"Three is all, you think?" Buck asked after a moment.

"They would have attacked by now," Mano replied. "They would not let three die alone."

Buck was not yet satisfied. "I will get a look around up there," he said. "If you see any, call out."

Manolito stayed in the cover of the bushes and examined the immediate surroundings with his eyes.

Buck meanwhile ran up the hill. He used the Saguaro cactus as cover and did a panorama survey. "Mano, all clear, nothing here," he finally called out to his brother-in-law.

His friend gave him a thumbs-up as well. "All clear."

"We were lucky to get out of that one, amigo," Buck commented when he was halfway down the hill.

Mano stood with his back turned to his brother-in-law. "That's so lucky," he muttered.

Buck's heart jumped into his throat. He raced to his friend and took him by the arm. "Why? Did you get hurt?" he asked urgently.

Manolito pointed to the ground in front of them. "They shot my horse."

Buck breathed a sigh of relief. "A good horse," was all the answer he could muster. He looked at the dead warriors. "Mano, I think we ought to bury these Apaches."

Manolito nodded dejectedly. "All right."

"The best thing would be," Buck began when they were digging the graves, "if we hid your stuff here and collect it on the way back. Let's spend the night at the river. There we can at least refill our canteens. Sorry, Mano, but you can't take more than your bottle and your rifle. Otherwise we'll overtax Rebel, and then we'll have no horse at all. You know that as well as I do."

"It 'll be all right, Buck. Don't worry," his brother-in-law assured him quietly.

The next morning they rode on towards the Dragoon Mountains. From a pass they could see the soldiers setting up telegraph poles. Buck remembered that Big John and the colonel had spoken of it. He rode down to the squad which consisted mainly of black men. The sergeant awaited them.

"Buenos dias, señor," Mano greeted him, jumping down from the horse. Buck also dismounted.

"Hello," the sergeant replied neutrally.

"You have a horse I can buy?" Manolito enquired. "I would need a saddle, too."

"What happened to your mount?" the sergeant wanted to know

"We were attacked by Indians. Stray bullet, my horse got shot."

"Apaches?"

"Yeah, it was. Three of them, but we buried them," Buck put in quietly.

The soldier frowned. "Didn't I see both of you at the Cannon place yesterday morning?"

Buck nodded. "That's right. I'm Buck Cannon. This is Señor Montoya, my brother-in-law."

"I'm Sergeant Washburn," the man introduced himself. "You want back to the ranch?"

"In time," Mano replied evasively. "We can pay, though."

Washburn made a dismissive gesture. "There's no need. Leave the horse at the ranch, and I'll pick it up in a couple of days."

"Gracias", Manolito thanked the man, pleasantly surprised.

The sergeant turned to one of his subordinates. "Corporal, bring your mount," he ordered.

Buck suddenly stiffened. Three Apaches stood on the pass he had just ridden down with his friend. "Don't move," he murmured.

Washburn and Mano looked up.

"Apaches. Be on alert, " the sergeant told his men.

The soldiers readied their guns.

"Sergeant, tell your soldier boys to hold their fire," Buck advised calmly.

The man turned around. "Hold your fire," he ordered.

The Apaches rode down the pass. Just before they came within range of the army rifles, they stopped. Only the squad leader came up to them. He wore a cotton shirt and a pair of trousers in the manner of the whites. Across his nose and cheekbones a black stripe had been painted as a sign of his power of command. He was holding a lance with a white feather in his hand. Buck looked uneasily to Mano. Since his brother-in-law did not move, he stayed put as well.

"Ghost medicine men say Buffalo soldiers must stop putting up whispering wires", the Apache told the sergeant. "Whispering wires bring more soldiers. Ghost medicine men say that a bad thing."

The squad leader's gaze wandered over to Buck and Mano. Manolito signalled his neutrality by holding his rifle loosely in front of his body, his hands far enough away from the trigger to make a surprise attack impossible. Buck wore no apparent weapon. He held his horse by the reins with both hands and looked down.

"You tell your ghost medicine men or whatever you call them these poles are the property of the United States government, and you better leave them alone," the sergeant answered the warrior.

"You will not take down the whispering wires?" the Apache asked.

Washburn signalled his soldiers to put up their guns. "Now, you get out of here," he told the squad leader.

The warrior wheeled his horse around and rode away with his men.

Mano shook his head. "Eieiei. That was not wise, Señor Sergeant," he sighed. "Why not explain a telegraph to them? Then they would not fear it."

The man shrugged. "I don't need you to tell me my job. You still want the horse?"

"I want the horse," Manolito replied quickly.

Washburn turned around. "Corporal."

The corporal handed over the reins to his superior, who in turn gave them to Mano.

Manolito nodded curtly. "Gracias."

Buck threw the rifle to his brother-in-law, and the two rode off.

The sergeant watched them go. "Hey," he called out after a few seconds.

Buck and Mano stopped again. "What?" " Manolito asked over his shoulder.

"You are heading in the wrong direction for the Chaparral. You're going after that slave girl?"

Manolito looked at his friend. Buck signalled his assent with an almost imperceptible gesture. Mano nodded.

"In that case, you better pay for the horse," the sergeant decided.

Manolito laughed, fishing a coin out of his pocket. "Remember what my compadre said. There may be more than those three," he warned.

Washburn took it in stride. "We take care of ourselves," he answered.

"Good." Mano threw him the coin. "Adios, Señor Sergeant. Come on, amigo," he told his new horse and hurried to catch up with his brother-in-law.

The three Apaches had watched the events from the pass. They now turned to ride back to their main squad.

Buck heard the faint sound of gunfire. It was just loud enough that he could make it out over the hoofbeat of their horses. "Hold it," he called out to his brother-in-law. "You hear that?"

They stopped on a hill. Buck turned his head back and forth a few times to identify the direction from which the shots were coming.

Mano nodded. "Los soldados," he said seriously.

"Let's hurry," Buck urged.

They raced back across the plains. When the shooting ceased after a few seconds, they knew that they would come too late.

They dismounted at the battle site. Buck took the reins. Manolito, rifle in hand, took a few steps into the carnage and looked around. The wagon with the wooden telegraph poles had been turned into a blazing torch. Nothing stirred. None of the soldiers had survived. The sergeant had not even found the time to pocket his coin. Mano sadly looked at Buck and shook his head in silence. His brother-in-law straightened up. Manolito turned. A dozen Apache warriors had appeared on the pass. When they saw that they had been noticed, they galloped towards the two friends.

"Mano, I think now is the time to bargain," Buck said tensely.

"It's not yet that critical," his friend answered through clenched teeth.

The Apaches again stopped out of gun range. Manolito looked around. He finally found the right object. He took the lance with which the sergeant had been killed. It was a war lance, but it had one crucial feature: it had two white feathers. Mano held the lance horizontally over his head, then pushed it with the tip facing upwards into the earth as a sign of peace. The squad leader, who had spoken to the sergeant before, rode up to him.

Manolito greeted the warrior in sign language. He put his right palm against his chest, then extended his arm towards the warrior. "We wish to speak with your chief," he began.

"Tobar," the squad leader supplied the name curtly.

Mano nodded. "Sí, the great Tobar. We wish to bargain with him. We come in peace."

The Apache looked at him silently. Mano finally handed him his gun and motioned for his brother-in-law to do likewise. Buck sullenly threw the warrior his rifle. The squad leader half turned on his horse and waved for his warriors to come forward.

"You must not insult the great Tobar by not allowing him to speak with us," Manolito insisted.

The Apache said something to his men in his own language. Buck did not understand a single word. The warriors surrounded him and Mano. The squad leader motioned for them to mount. He grabbed Buck's hat, put it on, said some more unintelligible things and rode off. Buck looked at Mano. His brother-in-law returned his gaze with a discreet smile. "Follow your hat."

So far, Big John's search for his two missing family members had got nowhere. Cunning as he was, Mano had managed to buy Buck the necessary time. He had taken a nondescript horse to make it harder to identify the hoof prints. At first it had been realitvely easy to follow Buck's trail, even without Mackadoo's hoof prints for reference. But as the two friends had left the border of the Cannon Ranch behind and had entered Apache territory, Big John had lost the trail very quickly. Buck and Mano certainly knew how to hide their tracks. And Mano knew the area better than anybody else of the High Chaparral crew. John stopped to let his men spread out again.

"No sign of them, Mr. Cannon," Ira said when they returned to the rancher.

Big John realized that he should have asked Ann to describe the way. "Yeah. We'll try that rise," he answered stonily and set the pace.

Meanwhile Buck and Manolito had been brought before the chief. Arms crossed, Tobar awaited them in front of a wickiup. Like the squad leader, a yellow stripe had been painted across his nose and cheeks. This probably meant that he held the supreme command, Buck speculated. He glanced sullenly towards the squad leader who had taken up position to the left of the chief, Buck's hat still on his head.

Mano made the greeting sign. "Tobar, I want to buy the girl. The slave girl. Olive. Natahay," he began and took out his purse. "I have gold."

The chief said something in his own language.

"Why not give us to the squaws, why don't you?" Mano muttered in irrtation.

An Apache came out of the wickiup behind them. He wore a shirt with red and white stripes. "Cannon," he began and took up position on the right side of the chief. He had to be the medicine man, Buck thought. Who else would have the right to interrupt the chief in his speech? "I know Cannon. High Chaparral. The good woman."

"Hey, he means Victoria," Mano whispered after a second of surprise.

Buck, who mirrored the chief's stance, spoke up. "We come to buy the slave, to bargain. We are friends."

"No friends. No more," the medicine man told him angrily.

"If you kill us, Gold Shoulders will hunt you down," Buck replied confidently.

The medicine man gave the squad leader an order. The warrior disappeared into the wickiup. Seconds later he reappeared. He threw the Colonel's jacket at Buck's feet, golden shoulder insignia atop. The medicine man took the rapid fire rifle and shot three times in the air in quick succession. "Gold Shoulders and all his soldiers dead", he explained.

"Why did the Apaches kill?" Buck demanded.

"Why did your people kill?" the medicine man countered. "Only one good. Woman who helped Nock-Ay-Del."

"Señora Cannon," Buck nodded solemnly, putting a hand on Manolito's shoulder. "She is his sister."

The medicine man translated for his chief, then turned back to Buck and Mano. "Tobar say, one of you must pass test of courage," he announced. "Pass, you both will live. You fail, you both die."

"Mano, this test, what does it mean?" Buck asked his brother-in-law under his breath.

"I have heard of many different kinds, amigo," Mano replied just as quietly.

Tobar beckoned them to follow him. It seemed the whole tribe had gathered to take a look at the two white men who had dared to pay them a visit. Mano nodded towards Olive. "There she is," he pointed her out to his friend as they followed Tobar to a shelter.

Three men - an old one in the middle, two younger ones to his right and his left respectively - sat cross-legged on a blanket and awaited them. Tobar spoke to the old man. The Apache handed him a covered basket.

"There are two draws in basket. The one who draws red will suffer test," the medicine man explained.

"No need to do that. That is my idea. I'll take the test," Buck protested.

"You will draw. It is the Apache way," the medicine man told him sternly.

Buck shook his head. "No. I ain't gonna give my friend-"

"Buck, it makes no difference," Mano interruped, smiling at his brother-in-law reassuringly. "Save your breath. Maybe I'm in luck."

"Mano-," Buck began anew.

"You will draw," the medicine man exclaimed angrily.

The warriors advanced on them, their lances at the ready.

"Por favor, Buck," Mano said, "or we will both die right here."

His brother-in-law took a deep breath and nodded.

The medicine man held out the basket to them. Simultaneously, Buck and Mano pushed their hands in, took a lot each and pulled their hands back out. They turned their fists upward and opened their hands. Buck held the green lot in his hand, Mano the red one.

"What kind of luck is that?" Buck threw his lot angrily to the ground.

"Very bad luck," Manolito said in dismay.

"Trade me, Mano," Buck pleaded.

His brother-in-law shook his head. "No, gracias." Manolito began to smile, looking thoughtfully at the mountains in the background. "I always wondered how much courage I really have. This is my chance to find out. I can't let it pass."

Tobar's face lit up.

Buck and Manolito had been given a wickiup of their own so that they could prepare for the test. Buck examined the dwelling in detail. It was dome-shaped, had a diameter of about three meters and a height of two meters. The framework consisted of flexible wooden poles which had been driven into the earth, each about three inches apart from the next. The tips had been tied together with ropes. The structure had been layered with grass mats. The entrance was covered by a curtain that had been fixed to a crossbeam. A bear-skin covered part of the ground. Apart from that, the furnishings were missing. There were no blankets or firewood, let alone something to eat. And they were not allowed to leave their wickiup, either.

Mano leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. He seemed to be calmness itself. Buck sat beside his friend, knees drawn up. He pushed the curtain aside from time to time to look out. Four Apaches in elaborate costumes with painted upper body and head masks were dancing in the cleared area next to the fire. A young warrior in a bright red cotton shirt beat the drum.

"They sure are having a fine old time out there," Buck said gloomily.

Manolito looked at him. "He is telling them that they will never die if they fall in battle. They'll come back again and again," he explained quietly.

"Mano, what do you think they have in store for you?" Buck wanted to know.

"I have heard of one that is favourite," Manolito said thoughtfully.

"What's that?" his friend asked with a good deal of apprehension.

"Jesuit missionaries tried to civilize them. Not that they stayed alive long enough. And the Apache always liked the stories from the Bible. Like the cruzification. But they always add something of their own."

Buck's heart plummeted. He turned away and looked out again, fighting to at least appear calm. He did not want to let on how afraid he suddenly was for his best friend. Mano however noticed Buck's tension and squeezed his friend's shoulder. " Relax, compadre," he advised. "This ceremony will take all night. The test won't start before sunrise."

Buck sank back against the wall with a sigh, put his arm around Mano and pulled him close. He shut his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. The next days he would have to be fit.

His head pillowed on his brother-in-law's shoulder, Mano felt Buck's breathing return to normal and then pass into the slow rhythm of sleep. After a while Manolito fell asleep himself. The beat of the drum and the stomping of the dancers' feet followed him into his dreams. Gradually, the cold crept up in Mano, too. He moved restlessly, unintentionally waking his brother-in-law. Buck pulled him closer and rubbed his arms. But there was no helping it, Mano was wide awake. Buck finally began to quietly talk about his childhood. About the piece of land on which he had lived with his parents and his brother. About the tricks he had played on a boy in his village who had disliked him for no apparent reason. Mano smiled. He knew Buck needed the distraction just as much as he did. And he suspected that Buck tried to repay him in kind. Mano had told Buck what he knew about Apache customs, letting his friend see a glimpse of his life before he had come to the High Chaparral. And now Buck was returning the favour. After a while they managed to fall asleep again.

Buck woke. It took him a moment to realize what had woken him up. It was the silence. The Apaches had finished their ceremony. Buck looked out into the dawning day. His eyes fell on the wooden cross. The next instant, the chief, the medicine man, and the squad leader stood in front of his wickiup. Buck had not seen them coming. He winced imperceptibly and threw the three of them such an angry glance that they stopped their approach. Mano tugged at his friend 's sleeve. Buck nodded towards the cross and vacated the wickiup. Manolito took off his shirt, then followed his brother-in-law outside. The whole tribe - men, women and children, young and old, the free and the slaves - had gathered to witness the test of courage. Together with the squad leader and the medicine man Buck stood to one side of the cross. He watched Manolito being tied to it upside down.

"Each warrior will strike his body once in passing with the whip. Your friend must not scream out in pain. If he shows no fear-," the medicine man explained.

"He knows," Buck interrupted him.

Tobar was standing at some distance from the cross. From there the warriors rode towards Mano at Tobar's command. The trial began. The first warrior rode up, hitting his whip across Mano's belly. The second and third man hit him in about the same place. The fourth struck his whip across Mano's chest. The fifth struck so hard that he lost his whip; it dangled from the crossbeam. When he recovered it, he held his hand. Obviously it had not been painless for him, either, Buck noted with satisfaction. He himself showed no emotion. Olive however winced with every blow. She pressed her hand on her mouth so that no sound would escape her.

The test went on. The next lash hit Mano across his ribcage, another just below his throat. Some of the blows hit his arms, too. There seemed to be no end of it. Manolito had long since ceased to count the blows, focussing merely on staying conscious and keep himself from screaming out in pain. Buck inwardly heaved a mighty sigh when Tobar finally nodded.

"Your friend has great courage," the squad leader said solemnly to Buck, handing him back his hat.

The Apaches untied Mano to take him to the wickiup. Manolito could not walk; the ropes had cut too deep. His feet had become numb and did not want to carry him. They warriors dragged him off. Suddenly Buck stood in their way. Dusting his clothes off, he looked daggers at them. The Apaches returned his gaze almost friendly. Buck scooped his brother-in-law into his arms and carried him to the wickiup. The medicine man pushed the curtain aside to let Buck enter. Buck looked around. There were still no blankets to be had. Buck could not possibly put his brother-in-law down on the ground if he did not want to risk infection of the wounds. He finally sat back against the wall and leaned Mano against his shoulder. The medicine man reappeared at the entrance. "Once your friend has recovered, you ride out," he said, handed Buck a cup of water and disappeared again.

Buck looked at the cup suspiciously. He took a cautious sip. The water tasted bitter. Could it be - quinine? Buck grinned in relief. So the test was not designed to kill outright. He just had to get his brother-in-law home in one piece, and everybody would be satisfied. Buck made his friend drink the water, then gently dressed him in the shirt. The jacket he pulled only over Mano's left arm. The right one had been injured too much. Besides, the garment fit very tightly. It would only succed in letting Mano feel his wounds that much stronger. Buck took his time. He did not want his friend to ride too soon.

After a restless night Big John and his men had broken camp at the crack of dawn to resume their search. Gradually they came closer to the Dragoon Mountains, but without finding a trace of their missing friends. Seeing the vultures circling in the sky, they stopped, aghast.

"That don't have to be Buck and Monolito, Pa," Blue said after a moment's hesitation.

"Let's go see," his father replied with a gravelly voice and rode ahead.

Buck heaved Manolito onto the horse, looking anxiously up at him. His friend gave him a brief nod before he righted the jacket with his left arm. Buck turned to his own horse. Tobar, the medicine man and the squad leader brought Olive to him. "Take this Natahay. She is yours," the medicine man said. His anger of the day before had changed to a respectful tone. "Go. You will not be harmed."

Buck mounted. The squad leader lifted the girl up to him. Buck nodded curtly to the warrior and rode with Mano silently away from the camp. The three Apaches watched them go. Manolito managed to stay in the saddle, but more than a walking pace he was not up to.

The search party from the High Chaparral had arrived at the plains where the soldiers had set up the telegraph poles. John called a halt. He looked through his binoculars. Shocked by what he had seen up close all of a sudden, he let them fall back down.

"Pa?" Blue asked anxiously. "What is it, Pa?"

Big John rode on in silence. He seemed to be almost lagging, Blue noticed and became more nervous wither every step. The High Chaparral crew followed Big John without a word to the killed soldiers. Blue took off his hat. They said a short prayer, then proceeded to bury the men. Despite their bitterness about so much bloodshed they were relieved that they had not found Buck and Mano among the dead.

Buck rode beside his brother-in-law, carefully scanning the surroundings. He was looking for a suitable place to rest. Manolito barely managed to stay on his horse. "You all right, Mano?" Buck touched his friend's arm in concern when Manolito sank forward.

Mano straightened up in his saddle, trying to look reassuring. "Estoy bien, compañero," he gasped, his voice giving the lie to his words.

Buck cursed the situation. He held Olive in his arms. The girl had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion. She could not ride by herself. And Mano not much longer. But the three of them could not ride together on a horse, either. The animal would not be able to carry them for any length of time. And constantly changing horses was not something Mano would be able to do. The situation was becoming desperate. Buck's nerves began to fray.

Blue put the cross on the last grave. "We're done, Pa," he said.

His father kept silent, looking over to the pass with a grim expression on his face.

"You're figuring it could have been Cochise or renegades?" Blue asked uncertainly.

"I don't know, boy," the rancher replied finally.

"It could have been the ghost medicine men they talk about," Blue speculated further.

Big John nodded. "Yeah, could have been."

"Pa? Buck and Manolito, they ain't dead. I know they ain't," his son insisted.

"We'll find out, boy," John relented. He took Blue's arm and led him to the horses.

Buck had finally found a suitable resting place. He woke Olive, then took Mano's horse by the bridle and led it to the derelict ranch.

"Buck, let's just ride on," Manolito begged. He was not sure if he could find the strength to get up again after the rest.

His brother-in-law did not answer. He tied the horses to the corral fence and simply lifted Mano from the saddle. Mano's knees buckled, and his friend carefully lowered him to the ground. Manolito leaned against the fence post in utter exhaustion. Buck opened Mano's shirt and gently put a hand on his brother-in-law's chest. "Your heart is racing so fast even a champion drummer would have trouble to keep up with that beat," he said grimly. "If you had ridden on much longer, you would have found yourself down in the grass - or under it."

Mano looked back at his brother-in-law who angrily unsaddled the horses to let them graze. He had heard the concern in Buck's voice loud and clear. He had to smile. Somehow Buck always found the words to sum up a situation succinctly. Manolito began to carefully loosening his shirt that clung to his wounds by way of dried blood.

Buck returned with his water bottle. He took a small sip, then handed it to Olive. "Mano, I will go and ride ahead, try to get some help," Buck suggested.

"No." Manolito shook his head.

"Mano-," Buck tried again.

"I said no, hombre," Manolito replied adamantly. He did not want to be left alone. "Ay," he cried suddenly, looking at Olive who had been trying to clean his wounds. The girl made an embarrassed face. Mano peered at her more closely. "You never talk, muchacha. Now let us get rid of that." Mano loosened her collar with his knife. Olive began to cry, and Mano took her in his arms. "It is all over, chiquita. It is all over."

Buck took the last supplies from his saddlebags. When Olive had calmed down, he went back to his two charges. After the meal he spread a blanket on the ground. He brought his saddle to Mano to use it as headrest. He helped his friend lie down and covered him with their second blanket. "Sleep, Mano. You need it. In two hours we'll ride on."

Buck stayed with Manolito until his friend had fallen asleep. Then he set out to search for water. He got bitterly disappointed. The well had caved in. He would need to rebuild it first before he would be able to get at the water. Buck restlessly scouted the area but found no other source. After two hours, he woke his friend. Buck mounted behind Manolito to support him and gave him the last of their water. When he was sure that Mano could stay in the saddle without help, he took Olive and mounted his own horse. They rode from the ranch at a walking pace.

The men of High Chaparral had made their way to the Dragoon Mountains without finding a trail. They had finally cancelled their search to look for a place to spend the night.

"Ho!" Blue raised his arm, signalling the others to stop. He had noticed movement on the plains before them. The others had meanwhile discovered the two riders as well and gazed intently into the setting sun.

Blue shaded his eyes with his right hand. "Hard to make out who it is, Pa," he announced.

"Yeah," his father replied curtly.

Blue tried again. "It's Buck and Mano," he suddenly shouted in excitement and rode with the cheering ranch hands to meet the two.

"Hey, Buck, Manlito, we were looking for you everywhere! Where were you? Finally! About time that you resurface," it came from all sides.

Buck and Mano did not respond to this, but kept their slow pace. The welcome calls stopped, giving way to confusion. Buck topped it off by stopping his and Mano's horse. This got the others even more confused. Fearing an ambush, the men of the High Chaparral themselves stopped at a safe distance. After a minute hesitation Blue took heart and rode up to Manolito.

"Sam," Buck called.

The foreman passed the reins of his horse to Joe and ran over. Mano moaned. Buck handed the girl to the foreman and hastily dismounted.

"Mano?" Blue asked in a small voice.

"I am a bit dizzy," Manolito groaned. A moment later he slid off his horse.

Buck caught his friend and knelt with him on the ground. Manolito lay there unmoving. "Mano," Buck cried, his nerves fraying at last, and shook his friend slightly.

Manolito turned his head. Seeing Buck's horrified face loom over him, he smiled exhaustedly, then closed his eyes again. His head fell to the side.

Buck looked seriously up at his brother. "Mucho hombre, much man," he said. Big John nodded solemnly. Buck hugged his brother-in-law and bowed his head, fighting to regain his composure.

The others looked on, speechless. Even Big John remained silent. Buck finally took command. "We're going to spend the night right here," he decided. "Mano won't ride a single step any more. Blue, unsaddle my horse and bring me my bedroll. John, I need water."

"Buck, it'll be getting dark pretty soon," Joe put in. "Five miles from here in the direction of the Chaparral is the river. Why not get Mano there and-"

"No. That's out of the question," Buck insisted. "You and Pedro take the canteens, fill them up and bring them here. But before you go, you leave me your bandages."

"How many do you need?" Joe asked in confusion.

"All of them."

The ranch hands looked startled, sucking in sharp breaths.

"Buck, you might want to explain what happened," Big John told his brother.

"That can wait. Build a fire. I need some light."

"A fire? Here in Apache country? You must be out of your mind," the rancher protested.

"Chief Tobar assured us that nothing will happen to us," Buck replied firmly. "Now get a move on. Mano must be taken care of."

Blue spread out the bedroll in front of his uncle. Buck lifted Mano onto the padding and gently peeled his friend out of the shirt. The ranch hands stared thunderstruck at the welts. Buck repeated his commands, and this time they were obeyed. The bottles were emptied into bowls and cups. Joe and Pedro rode off to fetch fresh water. Ira brought Buck the bandages. When it got dark, the fire burned.

Buck started to clean the wounds. Manolito opened his eyes. " Compadre, por favor," he groaned.

"Mano, I can't leave you like this. If I don't stop the bleeding for good, you're gonna die," Buck said softly. He squeezed his friend's hand encouragingly. "I'll hurry. It'll be over soon."

Buck carefully washed the wounds with soap and water. He put on honey - the only disinfectant he had with him - before covering and bandaging the welts. First he treated the arms, then moved on to the upper body. He had to turn Mano on the side to be able to clean the welts all the way. Manolito gasped but held still. However, when Buck tackled the wounds on his ankles, where the ropes had cut him, he could stand it no longer and began to squirm. Buck took his friend in his arms and asked John to continue. Manolito pressed his face against Buck's shoulder as tightly as he could. John finally finished, and Mano's breathing steadied. Buck helped his friend into the sleeping bag and sat down with him beside the fire. He made him drink water all night to compensate for the blood loss. Buck outlined for his brother what had happened. Two hours before dawn Manolito finally fell asleep. Buck put in a few hours of sleep, too.

Late in the morning they started out again. Very soon the ride got difficult for Mano. He felt the way he looked - bruised all over. Buck decided to ride the five miles to the river. It carried clean, cold water from the mountains. In the shade of the trees they could set up camp as long as was necessary. Buck bathed in the river with him and re-dressed the wounds. Then he let his friend sleep and lay down himself. To secure their supplies for the next days Big John butchered a calf from the High Chaparral. He had captured it together with Joe and Pedro and had brought it to their campsite. After their meal Buck sent John ahead to the ranch with Olive and the others. He only asked Joe to stay with him and Mano. Joe prepared the meals and alternately stood guard with Buck. After two days of rest Mano had recovered enough that he could ride to the ranch with them.

"Can you make the detour to get your stuff we have hidden?" Buck asked his brother-in-law as they rode homewards.

Manolito nodded bravely. Buck was not entirely convinced but said nothing. Instead, he made frequent rest stops. At noon they arrived at the hideout. Buck loaded Mano's stuff onto Rebel and mounted behind his friend. Mano did not protest, and Buck knew that he had done the right thing. Despite the support the ride became ever more difficult for Manolito. Buck cast about for something to say in order to distract his friend but found no suitable topic. He thought back to the test of courage. Something bothered him about it. It took him quite a while to realize what it was. "The draw had been a set-up," he told his brother-in-law matter-of-factly.

"Of course it was." Mano seemed grateful for the distraction. "If you had been an Apache and had volunteered, they would have accepted you. But since we are whites, it was harder for us. They did not say so, but you took the test, too."

"What do you mean?" Buck asked.

"You were downright begging to trade me," Mano said.

"Yes, because it was my idea. I don't let others suffer for my decisions," Buck replied fiercely. "Besides, I don't feel physical pain so much," he added softly. "Being forced to watch friends getting hurt is much worse. Believe me, I would have loved to trade you, Mano."

"The Apaches did believe you, compadre, and made you watch. But that was a good thing."

"I somehow fail to see the merits in this," Buck remarked dryly.

"You are taller than me, stockier than me, compadre. I can't support you the way you are supporting me," Manolito pointed out quietly. "And if we had been alone and you had gone down, I would have been forced to go for help and leave you behind. I doubt that would have been wise."

Buck heaved a sigh and squeezed his friend's hand, remaining silent thereafter all the way to the ranch.

Two days after Buck and Mano's return to the High Chaparral, the soldiers arrived. Big John had informed them that they needed to send a replacement for the colonel and that two white girls had to be escorted to relatives in the North. John and Victoria asked the commander into the house for a refreshment. Buck meanwhile woke Mano. He had prescribed him rest, and his friend had not objected. Manolito's right arm was so bruised that he still had to carry it in a sling. Apart from that, he had not recovered from the blood loss yet and was still a bit unsteady on his feet. Buck helped his brother-in-law getting dressed, then led him to the army wagon. Ann and Olive sat on the coach box. Victoria had presented them with the dresses they wore, and a few more beside. She had taken the two children to Tucson for a shopping trip. There the two girls had been allowed to choose their clothes themselves.

"Thank you, Mr. Buck," Olive said, leaning forward on the bench and smiling down at him.

Buck looked up at her, tipping his hat. "Any time."

"Adios," Mano nodded to her.

Ann said goodbye to Manolito in sign language. Mano responded with the same sign.

"Forward. Ho," the officer commanded, and the wagon began to move.

Buck sadly watched them go. Manolito put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You know what the Apache say?" he asked. "You ride the savage land, you're part of it. It is fond of you."

Buck followed the wagon a few more steps. Mano put his left arm around Buck's shoulders and accompanied him.


End file.
